Combined conveyer and fabric folding device



Maw}! 10, 1964 c. ARBYTER ETAL COMBINED CONVEYER AND FABRIC FOLDINGDEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 7, 1962 wm-wmm mwnwua 114 II II/IIII VIIIIIIIII/llllflll I '1 'IIIIIIA m IN VEN TORS C ONE/1D APBTER 41 BYrin/r51? MA/d/ mwm.

ATTORNEY March 10, 1964 c. ARBTER ETAL 3,1 8

COMBINED CONVEYER AND FABRIC FOLDING DEVICE Filed Sept. 7, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4

I \\\\\\\\s g a as A j V J INVENTOR? #w'm ,qrro EMS) I United StatesPatent 3,124,348 CUB/IRENE!) CONVEYER AND FABRIC FOLDING DEVICE ConradArbter and Giinter Maisch, Saal (Saale), Germany, assignors to G. M.Pfaif A.G., Kaiserslautern,

Pfalz, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed fiept. 7, 1962, Ser. No.221,963 Claims priority, application Germany Sept. 9, 1961 9 Claims.(Cl. 270--61) The present invention relates to sewing and the likeinstallations of the type including a conveyor for transporting fabricpieces or cuts to a sewing or processing station, and more particularlyto the sewing of pre-folded pieces, such as is required in connectionwith hemming, binding and the like sewing operations.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a fabric pickupand transporting head or device operably associated with a conveyor andbeing equipped with folding means cooperating with the conveyer organs,whereby to fold the fabric pieces while en route to and to deliver thesame in properly folded condition to a sewing station for instant use orprocessing.

Among the further objects of the invention is the provision of acomposite conveyor and folding device of the type referred to which isboth simple in construction and reliable in operation; which willautomatically fold the pieces accurately and expeditiously by eithersingle or multiple folding; and which will not require any basic changeor re-design of conventional conveyer apparatus or devices.

The invention, both as to its ancillary objects as well as novelaspects, will be better understood from the following detaileddescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings formingpart of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a composite fabric pickup head andfolding device forming part of a con veyer system and constructed inaccordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective fractional View of FIG. 1, moreclearly showing the construction of the folding mechanism of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the complete folding and conveyingdevice taken on line HI H I of FIG. 1, the device being shown in itsposition at a distributing station prior to the pickup of a fabric pieceto be transported;

FKG. 3A is a fractional view of FIG. 3 showing the fabric piece upondelivery at a sewing or processing station;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section of the pickup and folding device ofFIG. 2 in the normal position, or prior to the pickup of a fabric piece;

FIG. 5 being similar to FIG. 4 shows the device in the position afterpicking up a fabric piece;

FIG. 6 shows the device of FIG. 5 in the position after the firstfolding step; and

FIG. 7 shows the same device after the second folding step in carryingout a double folding operation in accordance with the invention.

Like reference numerals denote like parts and elements in the variousviews of the drawings.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention involves generally theprovision, in connection with a conveyer system for transporting fabriccuts or pieces to a processing station, of a composite fabric conveyingpickup and folding device comprising essentially a fabric pickup andtransport head having a substantially plane pickup surface and beingprovided with at least one rotatable folding flap adjoining an edge ofand being flush with said surface. Said surface and flap are fitted icewith suitable fabric holding or retaining means, preferably in the formof a multiplicity of spring-urged retaining pins or needles projectingtherefrom, to cause a fabric cut or piece to be transported to adhere tosaid flap and surface during the conveying and folding operations. Thereare further provided, according to the invention, a pair of cooperatingstationary and movable actuating means, such as in the form of a rackand pinion mechanism or the like, arranged, respectively, at apredetermined fixed point in the path of and mounted upon said head,whereby to intermittently rotate and operate said flap and the adheringfabric piece to folding position by said head while en route to aprocessing station.

Further means may be provided for returning said flap to its initialposition upon completion of a folding operation and to project andretract said pins, in such a manner as to cause the folded fabricportion to be released from the pins of the folding flap and to beseized by the pins holding the remaining fabric portions projecting fromsaid surface and/or the next following flap in the case of a multiplefolding device, as shown by the drawings and further understood as thefollowing description proceeds.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1, FIG. 3,represents a pair of transporting rails engaged by the wheels 4 of amovable frame comprised of a pair of cross-arms 2 and side arms or guiderods 3. The latter embrace a pair of slide members 5 which are arrangedfor vertical movement or displacement by the provision or suitableactuating means (not shown) for picking up and depositing, respectively,a fabric piece at a central station and at a processing or receivingstation, in a manner well known. Secured to the member 5 is the fabricpickup and folding device or head being described in greater detail inthe following.

Secured to the slide members 5 is a casing (see also FIG. 1) havinglongitudinal walls 7 and 7a, side walls 8, and a bottom wall or plate 9.The latter is fitted with a pair of inserts 1i) and 11 adjoining theside walls 8 and a pair of rotatable folding flaps 12 and 13 adjoiningthe insert 11, said flaps and inserts having their undersurfacescoinciding with the undersurface of the bottom wall 9, to form acontinuous pickup plane or surface, as more clearly shown in FIG. 4.

The inserts 1t) and 1 1 are secured to the bottom wall 9 by means ofscrews 14, FIG. 2, While, the flaps 12 and 13 are rotatably supported bya pair of angle pieces 17 and 17a, secured to the walls 7 and 7a,respectively, of the casing 6, by means of relatively long shafts orjournals 15 and 1511, FIG. 3, and relatively short journals or shafts 16and 16a, respectively, the latter being invisibie in the drawing andlocated behind the shaft 15. More particularly, the shaft 15 of thefolding flap 13 is journa led in the angle piece 17, while the shaft 15aof the flap 12 is journalled in the angle piece 17a. The rotary axis ofthe shafts 15a and 16a of the flap 12 coincides essentially with theprolongation of the lower edge 18 of the flap 1 2 adjoining the insert11, while the rotary axis of the shafts 15 and 16 of the flap 13coincides essentially with the prolongation of the lower edge 19 of theflap 13 adjoining the flap 12. The lower ends 20 of the wall 7 and 7aact as stops or abutments for the flaps 12 and 13 in their normal orinoperative position.

Both the flaps 12 and 13 and inserts 10 and 11 are provided with innerrecesses 21, FIG. 2, being open at the top and closed by bottom walls22. Movably mounted within each of said recesses is a channel-shapedslide 23 having a bottom 24 and side walls 25 serving as guides engagingthe sides of said recesses. The slides 23 being provided with parallelguide or aligning means in the form upstanding posts or bolts 26 mountedupon the bottom 22 of the recesses 21, FIG. 3, are, in turn, fitted attheir 3 3 opposite ends 27 with a pair of depending actuating pegs orpins 28 projecting through slots or openings 29 in the bottom 22 of therecesses 21. Further projecting through the slots 29 are a pair of pawls30 rotatably mounted at the opposite ends of the recesses 21 by means ofpins 31 and being formed with tapering edges 32 and projections or noses33. The pawls 39 of both the flaps 12 and 13 and of the insert 11 aresuitably positioned in the recesses 21 by the provision of separatorsleeves 34, PEG. 2, in such a manner as to prevent mutual interferencebetween and during rotation of the flaps 12 and 13. For the samepurposes, the pegs 28 are arranged in staggered relation. Furtherprovided within slots 35, FIG. 1, of the flap 12 are adjustable stops 36for the pegs 23 of the flap 13, while similar adjustable stops 38 forthe pegs 28 of flap 12 are arranged within slots 37 of the insert 11.Coil springs 39, FIG. 3, act to urge the noses 33 of the pawls 3% intoengagement with the ends 27 of the slides 23.

Mounted at spaced intervals within the bottom 24 of each slide 23 ofboth the inserts and folding fiaps are a multiplicity of retaining pinsor needles 4t) projecting in a downward direction through correspondingholes or bores 41 in the bottom 22 of a recess 21, said pins beingadvantageously provided adjacent to the outer points, with constrictedportions 42, FIG. 3, for the purpose of ensuring a secure hold of thefabric pieces during transporting and folding, in the manner as will befurther understood from the following.

Coil springs 43, FIG. 2, arranged to engage the bottom 24 of the slides23, on the one hand, and angular abutments 44, 45, secured to theinserts 1G, 11 and flaps 12, 13, on the other hand, serve to normallyurge the pins in the downward or projecting direction from the fiaps andinserts.

The bottom walls 22 of the recesses 21 of the flaps 12 and 13 areprovided with slots 46 being aligned with the pins 40 of the nextfollowing rows and serving to receive said pins during the rotation ofthe flaps or folding operations, as will become further apparent fromthe following.

The shaft 15, FIG. 3, of the flap 13 projecting beyond the angle piece17 carries a toothed wheel or gear 47 being loosely mounted thereonbetween two coupling disks 49 and 50 each fitted with a friction ring48. The hub 51 of disk 43 is fixedly secured to the shaft 15 by means ofa pin 52, while disk 59 having a groove 53 is axially displaceable andprevented from rotation by a pin 54 secured to shaft 15 and projectinginto the groove 53. A dished spring 55 adjustable by means of nut 56engaging the end of shaft 15 serves to control the pressure between thegear 47 and the friction rings 48 of the disks 49 and 5t Hub 57 of disk49 is formed with a groove 57 serving to receive a coil spring 58 havingone end aflixed to a pin 59 secured to said hub and having its oppositeend held by a pin 60, FIG. 1, secured to the casing 6.

The shaft 15a of the flap 13 projecting through the angle piece 17acarries a further gear 47a corresponding to the gear 47 of the flap 13.In a similar manner, the remaining parts cooperating with the shaft 15aand gear 47a correspond to the parts 48 to 56 cooperating with the gear47 and flap 12, whereby to render a detailed description thereofunnecessary.

Disposed outside the pickup and folding head, in a direction parallel tothe longitudinal wall 7 of the casing 6 and in the path of the gear 47of flap 13, is a stationary rack 61, a similar rack 61a being arrangedparallel to the wall 7a and in the path of the gear 47a of the flap 12.The rack 61a is displaced relative to the rack 61 in the direction ofmovement of the pickup head, in such a manner as to effect a sequentialengagement first between the gear 47 and rack 61 and thereafter betweenthe gear 47a and the rack 61a, respectively, to result in a doublefolding operation as described in the following. If only a singlefolding of the fabric is desired, the flap 12 and its associatedoperating elements may be omitted, as will be understood.

Provided at the central or distributing station is a supporting plate ortable 63 holding the fabric piece 62, said plate having edges 64arranged for cooperation with the pawls 3t? and being, in turn, providedwith slots 65 and 65 for passing the pegs 23 and pins 4%) of the slides23. A similar plate 63' at the receiving or processing station, FIG. 3A,is provided simply with slots 65 for passing the pawls 30, plate 63being further fitted with upwardly projecting retaining pins 49 arrangedto engage bores or holes 67, FIG. 1, in the inserts 10 and 11, to enablethe deposit of the fabric pieces 62 in folded condition at the end of aconveying operation.

In operation, upon lowering the pickup head at the central or pickupstation, FIGS. 3 and 4, upon the plate or table 63 supporting fabricpiece 62, the edges 64 of said plate are engaged by the tapering edges32 of all the pawls 31) of the inserts 10, 11 and flaps 12, 13, wherebyto rotate the pawls in clockwise direction and to release the noses 33from the slides 23. As a consequence, the slides are lowered by thepressure of the springs 43, whereby to cause the pins 40 to penetratethe fabric 62, as shown in FIG. 5. Due to the constricted portions 42 ofthe pins 40, the fabric is caused to adhere to the undersurface of thepickup head for lifting and transporting thereby to the receiving orprocessing station by movement of said head along the rails 1.

During the transport of the pickup head and at a predetermined positionof the head while enroute to the processing station, or prior to itsarrival at the latter, the gear 47 of flap 13 is engaged by the rack 61,whereby to rotate the flap 13 about its shafts 15 and 16 through anangle of substantially as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings. This, inturn, results in a first folding of the edge portion of the fabric 62about the rotary axis of the flap 13 with the material being maintainedin proper folded position or prevented from displacement by the pins41). During the transfer of the folded portion of the fabric piece fromthe flap 13 to the pins of the flap 12, engagement of the pegs 23 offlap 13 with the stops 23 results in the retraction of the slide 23 offlap 13 from the bottom 22 of the recess 21 against the action of thespring 43, whereby, in turn, of cause the pins 4%) of flap 13 to bewithdrawn from the fabric and retracted below the surface of the bottomwall 22 of the recess 11. At the same time, the pins 40 of flap 12penetrate through the folded fabric into the slots 46 of the flap 13,while the pawls 30 of the flaps being rotated during the rotation of theflaps enter the slots 35 such as to cause the ends 27 of the slide 23 toengage the noses 33, whereby to lock the slides in the retractedposition.

Due to the frictional engagement of the disks 49 and 50 with the gear47, a continued movement of the pickup head after reaching of the endposition of the folding flap 13 will result in a slipping of the gear.After the latter has been disengaged from the rack 61, the flap 13 isreturned to its initial or starting position by the action of the spring53 which has been tensioned during the folding operation, the final orend position of the fiap being determined by the engagement of the flapwith the end 70 of the walls 7 and 7a.

During the further movement of the pickup head, gear 47a of the flap 12engages the rack 61a to effect operation of the flap 12 in substantiallythe analogous manner as described in reference to the operation of theflap 13, thus resulting in a double folding of the fabric, in the manneras shown in FIG. 7. Flap 12 is returned to its starting position by areturn spring (not shown) in the same manner as the flap 13.

Upon arrival of the fabric piece at the receiving or processing station,the pickup head with the folded piece is lowered upon the support 63,FIG. 3A, upon engagement of the pegs 28 of the inserts 10 and 11 withsaid plate, the slide 23 is retracted in the manner described by thespring 43, to thereby lock the pawls 3E) and to cause the pins 44 of theinserts to be withdrawn from the fabric.

At the same time, the fabric is penetrated by the pins 49' of the plate53', thus depositing and retaining the fabric in the properly foldedcondition ready for instant use in connection with a sewing or the likeprocessing operation.

In the foregoing the invention has been described with reference to aspecific illustrative device. It will be understood, however, thatvariations and modifications as well as the substitution of equivalentparts and elements for those shown herein for illustration, may be madewithout departing from the broader scope and spirit of the invention asset forth in appended claims. The specification and drawings areaccordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in arestrictive sense.

We claim:

1. The combination with a conveyer for transporting fabric pieces, of acombined fabric conveying and edge folding device comprising a fabricpickup and transporting head having a substantially plane surface, afolding flap rotatably mounted upon said head, said flap being normallysubstantially flush with and having an edge adjoining the edge of saidsurface, spring-urged fabric retaining means upon said head projectablefrom and retractibie below said surface, to penetrate and pick up afabric piece in the projected position and to release the same in theretracted position of said retaining means, first actuating means uponsaid head to rotate said flap towards and into engagement with saidsurface, to fold the edge of said fabric piece, second stationaryactuating means positioned in the path of said head for cooperation withsaid first actuating means, to operate said flap to folding position bysaid head while en route along said conveyer, said flap being recessedto receive said retaining means in the folded position, whereby to causesaid retaining means to seize and to hold the folded portion against theunfolded portion of said fabric, and means to return said flap to itsinitial position upon completion of a folding operation.

2. In a fabric conveying and folding device as claimed in claim 1, saidholding means consisting of a multiplicity of retaining pins slidablymounted in said head and projecting from and retractible into saidsurface.

3. In a fabric conveying and folding device as claimed in claim 2, saidholding means consisting of a multiplicity of retaining pins slidablymounted in said head and flap and projecting from said flap and surface,said flap having a plurality of recesses to receive said pins of saidhead in the folded position, and means to retract the pins of said flapin the folded position.

4. In a fabric conveying and folding device as claimed in claim 2, saidpins being provided with constricted portions near the points thereof.

5. In a fabric conveying and folding device as claimed in claim 1, saidactuating means being comprised of a pinion connected to said flap and astationary rack arranged to engage said pinion at a predeterminedposition of said head while en route to a processing station.

6. In a fabric conveying and folding device as claimed in claim 3,including means to operate said pins to projecting position upon pickingup of a fabric piece at a supply station and to operate said pins toretracted position upon depositing said piece at said processingstation.

7. The combination with a conveyer for transporting fabric pieces, of acombined fabric conveying an edge folding device comprising a fabricpickup and supporting head having a substantially plane surface, afolding flap normally flush with said surface and adjoining said head,to provide a continuous fabric retaining surface by said head and flap,means rotatably supporting said flap by said head for rotating said fiapto folded position towards and into engagement with said surface,spring-urged fabric retaining means upon both said head and flapprojectable from and retractible below said surface, to penetrate andpick up a fabric piece in the projected position and to release the samein the retracted position of said retaining means, cooperatingstationary and movable actuating means disposed, respectively, at apredetermined point in the path of and upon said head, to operate saidflap and adhering fabric to folded position, and means to retract theretaining means of said flap in the folded position, said flap beingrecessed to receive and cause the retaining means of said head to seizeand hold the folded portion against the unfolded portion of said fabric.

8. A fabric folding device comprising a supporting head having asubstantially plane fabric retainin surface, a folding flap rotatablymounted upon said head, said flap being normally flush with and havingan edge adjoining said surface, spring-urged fabric retaining means uponsaid head projectable from and retractible below said surface, to seizeand retain a fabric piece in the projected position and to release thesame in the retracted position of said retaining means, actuating meansto rotate said flap to folded position towards and into engagement withsaid surface, to fold the fabric piece by said flap, said flap beingrecessed to receive said retaining means in the folded position, wherebyto cause said retaining means to seize and to hold the folded portionagainst the unfolded portion of said fabric.

9. A fabric folding device comprising a supporting head having asubstantially plane fabric retaining surface, a folding flap rotatablymounted upon said head, said flap being normally flush with and havingan edge adjoining said surface, spring-urged fabric retaining means uponboth said head and flap projectable from and retractible below saidsurface, to seize and retain a fabric piece in the projected positionand to release the same in the retracted position of said retainingmeans, actuating means to rotate said flap to folded position towardsand into engagement with said surface, to fold said fabric piece by saidflap, and means to retract the retaining means of said flap in thefolded position, said flap being recessed to receive the retaining meansof said head in the folded position, whereby to cause said lastretaining means to seize and to hold the folded portion against theunfolded portion of said fabric.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A CONVEYOR FOR TRANSPORTING FABRIC PIECES, OF ACOMBINED FABRIC CONVEYING AND EDGE FOLDING DEVICE COMPRISING A FABRICPICKUP AND TRANSPORTING HEAD HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANE SURFACE, AFOLDING FLAP ROTATABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID HEAD, SAID FLAP BEING NORMALLYSUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH AND HAVING AN EDGE ADJOINING THE EDGE OF SAIDSURFACE, SPRING-URGED FABRIC RETAINING MEANS UPON SAID HEAD PROJECTABLEFROM AND RETRACTIBLE BELOW SAID SURFACE, TO PENETRATE AND PICK UP AFABRIC PIECE IN THE PROJECTED POSITION AND TO RELEASE THE SAME IN THERETRACTED POSITION OF SAID RETAINING MEANS, FIRST ACTUATING MEANS UPONSAID HEAD TO ROTATE SAID FLAP TOWARDS AND INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAIDSURFACE, TO FOLD THE EDGE OF SAID FABRIC PIECE, SECOND STATIONARYACTUATING MEANS POSITIONED IN THE PATH OF SAID HEAD FOR COOPERATION WITHSAID FIRST ACTUATING MEANS, TO OPERATE SAID FLAP TO FOLDING POSITION BYSAID HEAD WHILE EN ROUTE ALONG SAID CONVEYOR, SAID FLAP BEING RECESSEDTO RECEIVE SAID RETAINING MEANS IN THE FOLDED POSITION, WHEREBY TO CAUSESAID RETAINING MEANS TO SEIZE AND TO HOLD THE FOLDED PORTION AGAINST THEUNFOLDED PORTION OF SAID FABRIC, AND MEANS TO RETURN SAID FLAP TO ITSINITIAL POSITION UPON COMPLETION OF A FOLDING OPERATION.